Therapists for college students near Portland, OR

I see clients for evaluation, diagnosis, assessment for medication, medication management, treatment planning, and psychotherapy. My practice is open to clients with psychiatric concerns including ADHD, depression, and anxiety. For ADHD, I do ADHD assessments as well as ADHD treatment, which includes psychotherapy that is appropriately suited to people with ADHD. I enjoy treating clients collaboratively with communication a key component to my practice. I honor my clients’ input in tailoring treatment to suit their needs, as appropriate. I listen to your concerns regarding medications, including side effects and whether there is a risk to being on your medication long-term.

I love supporting people in better understanding themselves. I value a collaborative relationship with clients as well as crafting the therapeutic experience to meet the needs of each individual I work with. I welcome members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and provide affirming care for folks on the gender spectrum and/or amid gender transition. I have experience treating anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, life transition issues, and relationship concerns (family, partners, social) and have specific training in DBT, CBT, and post-modern models. I am a systemic therapist and will often bring larger systems, identity intersections, and relationships into our conversations.

Is being away at school a little trickier than you had expected? Maybe you're a bit lonely even though there's always loads of people around. So many challenges and expectations--it can be overwhelming even while it's gratifying and fun. We all need support at times. Together we work toward cultivating the inner strength, confidence and wisdom needed to fully and successfully transition into a meaningful and autonomous adulthood. Anything that is causing distress is welcome: grief, confusion, difficult relationships. I'd like to help.

Hi, I’m Kate (she/her) and I’m all about creating a space where you feel safe, supported, and free to be yourself. I specialize in supporting young adults, helping them navigate life’s ups and downs. My approach is LGBTQ+ affirming and grounded in anti-oppressive practices, so you can show up as your true self. Whether you’re exploring who you are, how to feel stronger, or how to deal with adversity, I’m here to help you figure it out in a way that works for you.

Among all the uncertainties of life, making the choice to start therapy is yet another risky plunge into the unknown. Before you decide to give me a call I’d like to try and give you a sense of who I am and what it might be like for us to sit together. Although my title is doctor, my clients call me Sarah. I think of my role as one of accompaniment, you’re the lead and it’s my job to follow your pace, your volume, your moments of free expression. Together we get curious in a way that is, open, receptive, and non-judgmental. Sometimes this process is playful, and sometimes I encourage us to look deeper at the hard things. I am always holding your experience with profound respect and the certainty that you have been doing your best to survive in a world that challenges your flexibility. Whether you’re somewhere along the path of higher education or starting off your career, the challenges of young adult life are uniquely complex and ripe for psychological distress. At this stage in life, you may find yourself with more questions than answers and more pressures than solutions. Stressors and concerns may run the gamut from challenges in relationships, family conflict, financial/housing/food insecurity, or answering questions like, “Who am I” and “What do I want in life?” I can appreciate the need for a space to unpack it all, take a step back, and find more clarity.

Are you struggling to engage or enjoy activities you once used to, or to make healthy friendships, connect, stay focused on studies? Perhaps you are noticing that acute or past traumas are getting in the way of feeling safe in your own body and coping is or has become very difficult. I specialize in working with emerging, young adults who battle anxiety, depression, PTSD, complex childhood trauma, addiction, suicidal thoughts and more. Counseling with me will be a warm, authentic and safe experience where together, we can gently process the thoughts, fears and doubts that keep you feeling stuck and perhaps miserable. Therapy may involve processing trauma, helping you develop increased awareness, exploring thought processes, relationships and behavior patterns, as well as learning new skills to manage your symptoms and relationships.

Seeking therapeutic support can be a crucial step in a journey towards growth and healing. You are the expert of you -- You can help decide what your process in therapy will look like - whether that is getting support around a life transition, seeking coping strategies for pandemic fatigue, managing anxiety, processing body image concerns, navigating boundary issues in relationships, coming to terms with identity, or struggling with feelings of shame, I am here to listen without judgment and sit beside you with care. My hope is to hold space and offer tools along the way that help to build upon your unique identities and strengths. I use a client-centered, trauma-informed, relational, collaborative and transparent approach. I have experience in supporting clients with histories of complex and oppression-based trauma, domestic and sexual violence, and substance use. I am passionate about working with folks around body acceptance and/or LGBTQ+ identities and experiences. I approach my clients with compassion, empathy, and unconditional positive regard, providing them with support and validation while helping them to meet their therapeutic goals. I am a white, cisgender, queer, fat therapist with an awareness of how social identities impact life experiences and the therapeutic relationship.

Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.

Do you worry constantly, have a persistent fear of failure or judgement and feel on edge with just about anything? Feeling like you’re not good enough, not living the life you want to live, or that you’ve lost touch with the things that bring you happiness with little hope that you can live life in a fulfilling way? Have you had a traumatic experience that left you feeling disconnected and having a hard time trusting people, with the need to protect and numb yourself? These things can impact our physical and mental wellbeing, keep us up at night, make us feel disconnected from the people closest to us and reduce our ability to achieve what we want in life. I may be able to help. I have experience guiding people with these concerns to make meaningful changes to increase their satisfaction with life. A sense of safety, confidence, hope, fulfillment and loving connections with your important people is what I work to achieve with you and it can be done. Research shows that 75% of people experience positive results after seeing a therapist. One of the most important predictors of positive outcomes in therapy is the therapeutic alliance, or the partnership between therapist and client. Therapeutic alliance means shared decision-making, mutual respect, non-judgement, empathy and understanding in the therapy room. I focus heavily on these elements so we can work smarter and not harder and to create an alliance that produces the results you want in therapy.

My practice is attachment-based, trauma-informed therapy that is neurobiologically grounded. I am an EMDR-certified (EMDRIA-approved) therapist and integrate EMDR with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Somatic Processing Therapy (SPT), and Motivational Interviewing to support healing at both cognitive and body-based levels. I believe the mind and body heal together — sometimes one leads, sometimes the other — but sustainable change happens when we address both.

I provide individual therapy to people ages 18 and up. I specialize in working with queer and trans people, pot-stirrers, and outsiders. I enjoy working with people who are confronting major identity shifts, people who are navigating issues with their families of origin, and people who are trying to envision a future they never imagined themselves in (What is middle age? What is aging in queer spaces? How can I live meaningfully in late stage capitalism?).

"I am a failure." -"I am broken." -"I have nothing to offer." -"If I make changes, everyone will hate me." -"I can't change." ...Do these sound familiar? You've been trying to solve everything on your own but you're feeling stuck. You really need a space where you can talk through ALL of the jumbled up thoughts and feelings inside, because you're starting to feel like a pressure cooker. I'm a LGBTQIA+ and relationship affirming therapist specializing in trans and nonbinary wellness. I'm experienced with providing counseling to folks across the lifespan, and in and around the gender binary. I'm a staunch believer that all people have the resources inside themselves to make changes toward becoming ever more healthy, connected, and complex. The focus of my approach is self-acceptance. This means that I'm not going to push you to talk about things you're not ready to talk about yet. Instead, we'll make space for you to examine YOUR process toward making the changes YOU want in your life--because it's about damn time. And "I can't change" is, well, bullsh*t.

Michelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, and eventually moved to Portland where she began a career focusing on helping individuals and families learn to heal and thrive. With experience working in healthcare and public education, Michelle understands the complexities and demands that so many members of our community experience. She is committed to addressing cultural issues around bias, racism, equity, and injustices for communities of color and those with diverse backgrounds. Her engagement with anti-racism learning is active, ongoing, and explicit. Michelle is collaborative, encouraging, and playful. She focuses on helping clients to identify their resilience and strength to overcome obstacles, and she offers a safe place to be open and honest without fear of judgment. She has experience working with children and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, women’s health issues, infertility and pregnancy, post-partum, life transitions, parenting issues, and addiction. Michelle approaches therapy with a trauma-informed lens and relies on her background and education in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Play Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Michelle believes it is a true privilege to be able to work in this field and to share space with people during some of their hardest and most vulnerable moments. She remains continuously grateful for the opportunity her clients give her, and she is committed to continuing to grow and learn. When Michelle is not practicing, she can be found with her spouse, dog, and their two young children - exploring outdoors, skiing, paddle boarding, enjoying good food, and following that beautiful and often scarce PNW sunshine.

I use relationship building as the foundation of my therapy practice. I believe feeling seen, held, and safe are vital components of being able to grow. My hope is to create an atmosphere where the people I meet with feel met and known which will allow us to walk together through vulnerability. With all my clients I take a Neurobiological approach, which is a fancy way to say I think a lot about nervous systems and how to regulate them. Our nervous systems need co-regulation before they can learn to self-regulate. Together we will explore what feels soothing to your particular system and build strategies from there. I pull Internal Family Systems (IFS) or parts work and Narrative Therapy techniques. My style is client centered, collaborative, affirming, and trauma informed.

You feel alone, prioritize the needs of others, and wonder if things will change, asking: "What am I protecting? Who am I trying to be? What do I want?" Relationships (breakups, separation, dating, divorce) can bring up anxiety, regret, fear and self-judgment. These effect the relationship we have with ourselves. Resentments, anger, and guilt - toward others and within ourselves make us feel disconnected and alone. As a therapist, my aim is to help you reconnect with your SELF. Everyone is different. Our expectations and ideals are influenced by family history, surrounding cultural expectations, and unique experiences. Our therapy sessions help you develop tools to define relationships you want, conquer anxiety, past regrets, self doubt, negative self-image, and slowly dispose of the negative loud inner-monologue (which comes up frequently, when you are trying to navigate your road ahead.) I am an Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapist using Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Gottman therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) tools to develop a solid foundation of self - (via telehealth, online) in both Oregon and Washington State. Specialties: Individuals dealing with sleep issues/insomnia, difficulty with focus (ADHD); folks going through separation/divorce to develop purpose, motivation and intention; individuals in relationships cultivate/improve connection; single individuals build a sense of self (aligned with values) which can be applied toward dating and future relationships. __________________________________________ Interested in seeing if we connect? Feel free to text me/call me at 503-498-6879 for free consultation. Want to learn more about me? Check out my website: https://heatherackles.com/ _______________________________________________________

I provide a safe and supportive environment to work in collaboration with you to manage mood and anxiety concerns and, if you are struggling specifically with disordered eating, the support to challenge eating disorder behavior. I strive to balance this with providing honest open reflection to help meet you where you are. I utilize the exploration of unhelpful thinking and behavioral patterns meeting clients where they are at in the process of change and helping them progress.

I have a passion for working with college students and people in the midst of life transitions. I utilize a holistic approach by taking into account your presenting concern as well as your strengths, your community, and your environmental context. I enjoy the collaborative process of building awareness and understanding as we explore the impact of cultural, familial, societal, physical, social, and spiritual factors on your psychological concerns. I am honored to work with people as they channel their courage to face challenges in their lives - to bring healing and growth out of pain and struggle. So often we humans try to avoid our pain or we get stuck in it; I believe we are all doing the best we can in the moment with what we have and what we know. I am here to walk alongside you for awhile in your journey towards integration, authenticity, and well-being. Clients often describe me as warm, empathic, non-judgmental, genuine, empowering, gently challenging, and compassionate. My approach is client-centered, solution-focused, body positive, and LGBTQ-affirming. I amplify one's resilience and strengths by incorporating mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), narrative therapy, self-compassion, and interpersonal process. I am also always in the process of growth and learning about new approaches and perspectives through continuing education and consultation, gaining valuable insights to my own biases and privileges.

I support college students through relationships, academics, anxiety, stress, depression, ADHD, and trauma. Working toward goals in these areas of life can be stressful and overwhelming, and you don't have to do it alone! Together we will partner to identify your needs, develop ways of getting through the day to day, and make lasting changes. Feel tree to text, call, or email me, and we can get started right away.

Many students come to therapy feeling stressed, anxious, or stuck in patterns that hold them back. Balancing school, relationships, and life changes can feel overwhelming. Therapy provides a supportive space to pause, reflect, and explore your experiences. I work with students to navigate emotions, stress, and relationship challenges while building coping skills and self-understanding. Together, we focus on what matters most to you and make meaningful changes in a supportive, relational space. Starting therapy can feel vulnerable, and I honor that courage. You’ll have a gentle, safe space to process challenges, reflect on your experiences, and build confidence as you move through school and life.

Welcome. I'm so glad you're here. I view therapy as a means of achieving personal transformation and a way to navigate the challenges of life. So often, we come to counseling not because we don't know what we "should” or “could" do differently, but because we feel stuck. I am committed to walking alongside you and providing opportunities for you to move through challenges, to heal, and to connect with your inner resilience. My theoretical approach is rooted in mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral and somatic focused therapy. I approach my work through a trauma-informed lens, which means that I prioritize a sense of safety and compassion when I work with clients. I have specialized experience and training in perinatal mental health, meaning your mental and emotional well-being during pregnancy, birth and postpartum stages. I am a certified EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapist and have completed training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, both are body-centered ways to process emotions and experiences. I am currently studying interpersonal neurobiology and enjoy deepening my understanding of mental health through neuroscience. I am also a registered yoga instructor and often call on the tools of yoga and mindfulness practices. Depending on your needs, we may use some or all of these strategies to achieve your goals. I come to private practice with a background in primary care medical clinics providing integrated behavioral health counseling, and have worked as a child and family therapist and with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. I graduated from Portland State University in 2011 with a Masters in Social Work, during which time I completed internships with a refugee resettlement program and at OHSU’s Center for Women's Health. My work as a therapist is grounded in social justice and I am committed to making my practice welcoming as possible for everybody. I am a queer and trans affirming provider and work from an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens.